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WEST ORANGE, NJ - Motor vehicle thefts, break ins, and stops, along with report of an email scam and ID farud, top this week's Police Blotter news.

May 20

Aggravated Assault: Victim reports that he was 'hit' with what he believed to be pellets from a BB or air gun on Pleasant Valley Way and Curtis Avenues. The incident was first reported to Community Security Service associated with the AABJ&D religious congregation at 700 PVW. Victim first reported the incident on 5/15 to CSS and indicates that he sustained two welts. He claimed that two white males in a vehicle drove by, one with a full head of brown hair, both laughing, as they drove by. It is unknown of the surveillance camera at 700 PVW has footage on the incident.

May 21

Possession of CDS: A vehicle traveling south on Columbia Street passed a patrol car and the officers smelled the odor of marijuana. They followed the vehicle and watched it rolling through a stop sign and fail to signal onto Watchung Avenue. A motor vehicle stop was performed in front of 29 Park Avenue. After permission from the driver, Nelson Victor Mas, to search the vehicle, nothing was found. As police told the driver they did not locate anything despite the smell, he said "it's in my balls" and reached in to his crotch area. He pulled out what appeared to be marijuana and was arrested, charged, and released with a court date.

May 22

Property Damage: Reporting person indicates that while his vehicle was parked in front of 170 Main Street an unknown object struck and shattered his rear windshield. A local landscaping crew was working on the property and a stone may have kicked up, causing the damage. The vehicle is owned by the NJ Treasury Department and is insured.

Property Damage: Juan Flores, West Orange Board of Education employee working at Redwood School, reported that a large lawn mowing machine had malfunctioned and damaged the driver side front bumper of a parked vehicle belonging to a Redwood teacher.

Police Info/Fraud: A man on Forest Hill Road was the victim of an email scam. Said party "Ms. Janet Sands" with an AOL email contacted the victim with a job offer to be a personal driver for her daughter, when in NJ, for a rate of $700.00 weekly. The victim received a check for $3,890.00 from Citizens Bank in Rhode Island and deposited it. The scammer then asked for $2,000.00 to be placed in a 'green dot prepaid Visa card' due to overpayment of funds, and the victim complied, only to discover the check bounced. Attempts to reach 'Ms. Sands" has proved unsuccessful.

Recovered Stolen Motor Vehicle: A vehicle stolen from 60 Main Street on May 20 was recovered in Newark on 5/22 in front of 9 Fleetwood Place. Both plates were on the vehicle. Vehicle was bleieved to have been used in three car thefts in Cedar Grove earlier on this date.

Motor Vehicle Stop/CDS Arrest: Jared Ross, of West Orange, was arrested in front of 139 Main Street after police observed a silver Honda Civic pulling out of the BP gas station without the driver wearing a seatbelt. The vehicle exited right on Main Street towards Park Avenue and was in the right lane. While making a lane change to the left lane, the vehicle caused another vehicle already in the left lane to brake to avoid a collision. Ross was pulled over and a MV stop conducted. As police approached the vehicle police observed the defendant attempting to conceal something in the center console area. The smell of marijuana was detected. Ross was asked to exit the vehicle, and after denying anything was in the center console, police checked for the ownership information in the glove compartment. In the glove compartment was suspected marijuana, a sliver AWS digital scale, and a Tivo cigarillo commonnly used to ingest marijuana. Ross was arrested, charged with Possession of CDS; Unsafe Lane Change, CDS in Vehicle, and Failure to Wear a seatbelt. Ross' vehicle was left parked on Main Street, the suspect was picked up at HQ by a parent and court date was scheduled for June 13.

May 23

Theft of Motor Vehicle: A 2002 Lexus IS300 was reported stolen from the driveway of a Riggs Place residence. The vehicle was unsecured with the key located in the console area.

Injured Animal/Firearm Discharge: An injured deer, struck by a motor vehicle, was euthanized at Pleasant Valley Way and Fairway Avenues as traffic was stopped at a safe distance.

Theft: Victim reports that approximately six steel sewer grates were taken from the apron of his driveway on Valley Road.

Police Info/Id Theft:Victim reports receipt of a letter from a collection agency for an AT&T phone bill for $496.64. A credit check history revealed an unknown actor opened a fradulent cell phone account in the victim's name on 3/1/10. The address was listed for the account in Los Angeles, CA.

Burglary to Residence: A report of a burglary at 83 Ashland Avenue reported the theft of an AXIS laptop, and a Samsung digital camera, totaling $1,050.00.

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